Furniture shoe



March, 15, 1932. F. JANTZEN ET Al.

FURNITURE SHOE Filed Jan. 7. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet March 15, FI JANTZEN VET AL 1,849,835

Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRED JAN'TZEN, 0F BRONX, NEW YORK, ANDJOSEPH J. LYNCH, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW mSEY, ASSIGNORS T MARPROOF PRODUCTS, INCORPORATED, O1? NEW YORK, N. Y.

FURNITURE SHOE Application led January 7, 1930. Serial No. 419,01L

Special objects of this invention are to provide a base or shoe for the legs of desks, tables and other articles of furniture, which can be readily applied, which Will present a neat and attractive appearance, which will aiford a cushion support for the furniture, which will save the linoleum or 'Hoor covering from scratching, indenting or other marring, hold.-

ing the furniture solidly in place, but at the 1o same time permit furniture to be easily moved when required and *which in addition to the above, may be utilized, to level the furniture, particularl extended objects, such as counters or long ta les.

Other objects of the invention relate to the practical manufacturing steps and structure of the cushion shoe.

. The foregoing objects are attained in the presentl disclosure by the novel features of simplicity in design, construction, combinations and relations of parts described in the following specification and shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a broken/perspective view illustrating a form of the invention as applied to theleg of a table or other piece of furniture;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same on a somewhat enlarged scale as taken on substantially the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a similar view as taken on substantially the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 1, but showing the cushion element as adjusted or extended to increase the effective length of the table leg; Fig. 4 is a broken part sectional view of the attaching member; Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view as on the plane of line 5-5 of Fig. 2 illustrating one method of returning the adjusting bolt; Fig. 6 is an edge view of one of the preformed cushions made up of layers of fabric on edge; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional illustration showing how these cushions are forced through a contracting die into the holders therefor; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the plugs of cushioning material yseated in its holder; Figs. 9, 10 and l1 are views similar to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrative of a molded form of plug and the same method of assemblage and final structure. i0 Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show particularly the application and use of the invention. In these views a hollow metal furniture leg is indicated at 12 and a special insert for the attachment of the shoe is indicated at 13 in the form of a hollow shell shaped to fit up in the leg and suitably secured therein as by spot welding at 14. This insert is fastened in place with the lower portion of the same in projecting relation and such projecting portion is shown as slotted in the corners at 15 to form resilient side portions 16, which may be compressed to conform to the mounting socket in the body of the shoe.

The body of the shoe is designated 17 and the same is shown as having a downwardly tapering socket 18 inthe upper end of the same for engagement over the projecting spring portion of the insert and as having a socket 19 in the lower end of the same providing a seat for the cushion. These two sockets or seats are shown as separated by a horizontal partition 20.

This entire body structure is readily formed as a single casting and the socket in the up per end of the same may be left with more or less rough cast interior walls to frictionally grip the dependent spring tongues of the mounting insert. In addition, a cement or 'other securing medium may be employed. The use of cement is advisable as it forms first a lubricant aiding in the forcing of the shoe over the spring ngers and then as it hardens, acts as a solder to hold the parts permanently united with the shoe forming in effect a downwardly tapered continuation of the leg. The A shoe thusgives a finish to the leg and may be made of bronze or other material, adding an attractive feature to the furniture.

To prevent the shoe from coming loose in the case of harsh treatment in shipment or the like, a screw or similar fastening 21 may be provided, extended in through the sideof the socket into a screw seat formed in a projecting portion of the insert.

The cushion proper may be formed of various materials, depending upon Mthe resiliency, durability and other qualities required.

In Fig. 2, the cushion is shown as a'block 22 of cord fabric vulcanized in gum rubber. In Figs. 6 to 8 the cushion is shown as a block 100 23 of compressed fabric set on edge. In Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the cushion is illustrated as a molded body 24 of rubber or rubber composition. Each of these materials has its own advantages and the use of one or the other, may be determined by the weight of the furniture, the character of iiooring on which it is to rest, etc.

Preferably, the block of cushion material isreinforced by being partly encased in a shell 25 shaped to seat in the socket 19. This shell holds the cushion of a certain definite shape, preserving the cushion in this form and facilitating its mounting in the socket intended to receive it.

To provide for leveling adjustments, the cushion is shown in Fig. 2 as being shiftably secured in the socket by means of a bolt 26 reversibly threaded in'the screw sockets 27,

28, in the partition 20 and cushion shell 25` respectively, and adapted to be turned by means of an intermediately located head or tool receiving member 29. The location of this turning head on an intermediate portion of theA reversely threaded bolt enables the same to be readily reached through an opening 30 in the side of a lower socket by means of a 'screw driver point or other suitable turning tool as indicated at 31 in Fig. 5.

It will be obvious that with the construction disclosed, the cushion may be quickly adjusted out or into its socket without disturbing the furniture to cause the leg to bear its proper share of the weight.

It will be realized, that this is a particularly important feature in case of a long counter or the like, enabling such a structure to be easily leveled.

To seat the cushioning material under compression in its shell or holder 25, a contracting die, such as that illustrated at 32 in Figs. 7 and 10 may be employed. In Figs. 6 and 9, the blocks as originally assembled and shaped are illustrated, being shown as somewhat over size and as having tapered sides 33 to interlock in the holder when compressed thereinto.

These inwardly tapered dies are made large enough to take the over-size cushion blocks at their lentry ends and as having sufficient taper to squeeze the blocks down to size and into the confines of the holders. The holders are shown as fitting into counter-sunk seats 34 in the smaller ends of the dies and said holders may be backed up by a suitable support 35 when the plunger 36 is operated t0 drive the cushion into seated engagement in the holder. The dies may be made long enough to accommodate a number of cushions as illustrated and the plunger may be employed as an ejector or a special ejector may be provided, such as a screw member engaging with the screw seat 28 in the holder. In the latter event, this screw ejector would 5 operate to pull the holder with its seated cushion out of the die on a relative separating movement of the die and the table or support 35.

Recesses, such as indicated at 37 (Fig. 10) may be preformed in the cushion blocks to receive the screw seat hubs 28 and the por-v tion of the adjustment bolt, which may pro-J approximately equal to the adjustment headA 29, so that in either event, the cushions will protrude to approximately the same extent. Such fillers may be inserted in back of the cushions for leveling purposes, but for the atlter, it is preferred to employ the adjusting o ts.

rI he shoe structure may be applied to wood or other than metal furniture. In the case of wood furniture, the insert or coupling member 13 is unnecessary, the socket in the top of the shoe being fitted directly over the furnit-ure leg.

What is claimed is:

1. A hollow furniture shoe having a transverse partition dividing the interior of the same into upper and lower sockets, a holder having a sliding fit in the lower socket to the extent permitted by said transverse partition, a cushion block carried by said'holder, a bolt having reversely threaded portions engaged with said partition and with said holder, said bolt having a head portion by which the same may be turned for adjusting the cushion block holder.

2. A hollow furniture shoe having a transverse partition dividing the interior of the same into upper and lower sockets, a holder having a sliding fit in the lower socket to the extent permitted by said transverse partition, a cushion block carried by saidv holder, a bolt having reversely threaded portions engaged with said partition and with said holder, said bolt having a head portion by whichthe sam'e may be turned forl adjusting the cushion block holder, said head portion being disposed between the partition and the back of the holder and the socket having an opening in one side providing access to said head for an operating tool.

In testimony whereof we aflix our s1gnatures.

FRED JANTZEN. JOSEPH J. LYNCH. 

